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https://x.com/politlcsuk/status/2069169730976354643

NEW: Andy Burnham is choosing between Ed Miliband, Wes Streeting and Shabana Mahmood to become his Chancellor

[@thetimes]

Shabana Mahmood would be the best choice imo.

I'd think Streeting for chancellor (despite my dislike of him), then beef up the portfolios of both existing roles for Ed and Shabana. Both are (to my pov) doing their jobs well - but I could see a bit of an overall portfolio re-arrangement rather than a strict name <-> job title shuffle hitting the mark.

He should create a new Department for AI. For the avoidance of doubt that is artificial intelligence, rather than for Al Carns.

That’s not a bad idea, but I’d make it a little broader and make it the department of technology.

There’s a lot of new technology on the way, and government needs to be well placed to take advantage of it. See for example what’s going on in space and in defence, as well as AI.

Government could save hundreds of billions over a Parliament by being smart with new technology.

Its a really important decision because it will do so much to shape his government. He also needs a Chancellor who can survive the buffeting that is coming from both the markets and from inside the party as so many have to learn yet again that austerity was not a choice but a necessity.

I would be very concerned if it was Ed Miliband. He has some relevant experience but the policies he has promoted in Environment through both net zero and in the North Sea have been hugely damaging and anti-growth.

Louise Haigh, in my opinion, has neither the skills or experience for it but its not unusual for the person who has run a successful campaign for the leader to get it. I suspect she is undervalued.

Streeting has shown he is quick and robust in the way he has faced down the most powerful unions in the country at Health. His problem, and the reason he is not a candidate, is that he has very little of a following in the party (like Reeves in that respect) so he doesn't add any great strength to the ticket. He's probably rightly favourite though and I suspect the markets would like it.

I don't think that Yvette Cooper has the stamina for it given her health problems.

Mahmood would be a possibility, especially if Burnham wanted another woman in the role.

It's against the law to enter the country without permission, but the authorities don't seem to apply that law very much.

Important not to mislead. It is legal to enter the country with the intention of applying for asylum.

utter bollox, they were already in many safe countries where they could have applied for it , they just illegally enter UK as it is mugsville and treats them as lottery winners.

Not bollocks at all.

The header is about the law, and biological sex. People may not like it, but it is the law as it stands. We would have to pass legislation to change it

Similarly, it is the law that people can legally enter the country without a visa if they apply for asylum. You may well think that wrong, but we would need to pass legislation to change it.

I am one of many who think the asylum convention needs re-writing, but daft as as it stands it is the law.

Should have been shredded years ago and shows the garbage we have running the country and reason we are in the toilet.

To take Malc's point a little further and link it to a comment Foxy made about the problems with Maternity units in the UK having to pay out huge sums for failures. There is a need to spend time and resources on the basics (the pothole theory of everything) rather than some esoteric issue that affects few in this country as by definition they are not from this country. We have abandoned the common good for wanting to look saintly.